Yesterday was a mixture of struggling and temporary defeat on the art work. Art is about coming face to face with yourself, among other things.
It's a journey and yesterday yielded some learning. The materials I have aren't going to work as hoped. I may have started in the wrong place by making the head, I may need to start over. differently. I may need to use the head in a different artwork.
Some scenes from yesterday
These are the sorts of disappointing things that happen. Art is not a straight line activity. So I have to explore yet more different materials in my search for this elusive big figure I've had in mind for so many years. And maybe the black robe with all the embroidery isn't a good match to the concept..
Meanwhile I may make other works using the materials I have, while Big Figure is in temporary abeyance. Not sure yet.
So that's where I am, tired, disappointed, ready to continue though. I feel a bit like the heartbroken guy in Death of a Salesman, who says heartbreak is okay because you know you're still alive!
Meanwhile Together gave me the guidelines for a terrific couple of meals.
Spicy lentils, greens and pita. A lot of ginger, garlic and berbere, and it's great. The recipe also made a tomato salad, but I didn't have tomatoes. It's a good cooling note with the hot lentils though. They used spinach which I didn't have, so I used cilantro, parsley and scallions, which worked fine.
This is a kind of modular recipe. You can cook the lentils to go with other foods, greens likewise. The greens, using fried onions then garlic and ginger, were especially good.
I used up the last of the berbere mix, so I'll make more, from the Together recipe, which looks milder than the Marcus Samuelsson version I had made before. I think they may have adapted to what's available when you don't have an Ethiopian grocery.
And here's the scene from the kitchen window of my early childhood, as of yesterday. Probably from the other side though.
Big Figure will come to fruition some day! Keep the faith!
ReplyDeleteI am certain that your conscious and subconscious minds will work together to find the solutions to this art. Anyone who can substitute parsley, cilantro, and scallions for spinach can find the answers for the creation of your large figure. I believe in you!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I needed a bit of encouragement.
DeleteSomeone once described to us their idea of the difference between French and German engineering - if the French want a light over the street they start with the idea of light and create some art to position it. The Germans would collate all the parts to hold a light aloft, build it and add a light. It was meant to be the difference between an artistic concept followed by ideas on a means of execution, vs thinking first about the necessary parts and then working out how to put them all together in some cohesive whole. It is way too simplistic, but this theory was based in linguistic construction, and the notion that the linguistic syntax we are brought up with dictates the way in which we think and form our ideas. It went on to say that multi-lingual people generally demonstrate more and better problem solving skills if they can think in more than one language. That's you isn't it? Dyson (he of vacuum cleaners) reckons that if it takes 1001 attempts to get to the design you want, that is not 1000 failures but 1000 ways of finding out what doesn't work. They all informed the 1 that did work.
ReplyDeleteThank you, yes, this is pretty much what's going on. I think I got a little off track by being excited about Darrell wakelam's approach. I do want to adopt some of his construction ideas but not the plan,draw, cut, stick approach to my concept. I didn't separate them out well enough on this go round.
DeleteOr, as Mary Chapin Carpenter sang, "Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug..." That's art. All depends on the day you ask!
ReplyDeleteYesterday I was definitely the bug! Today my inner windshield is asserting herself again!
DeleteMs. Moon got that right! You will definitely figure this out. I really, strangely, like that head. I would like it mounted on a block, wood, concrete?
ReplyDeleteI like the head and plan to use it somehow. Just not in the original context.
DeleteYou must use the head. It is such a happy head.
ReplyDeleteYes, the head stays, one way or another.
DeleteArt struggles enhance appreciation when the project is completed. Beautiful view out that childhood window
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the earliest images in my memory.
ReplyDeleteI am more engineering, drafting. blueprint oriented. A complete maroon, to my art oriented sister. One way or the other, it all happens.
ReplyDeleteOne way or another!
DeleteIt will be interesting to see how you eventually use the head, Boud. Your disappointment helps me understand how an artist can struggle with her work.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is a full transparency place!
DeleteCreativity is non-linear in so many ways. I am loving everyone's comments as much as your original post. If you're like my Mike, a good night's sleep or two will give your subconscious some scope to work.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
PS A screech owl popped into the nestbox a few minutes ago, while I happened to be watching the nestcam. They're stopping in more frequently these last few days, though it's still a couple of weeks or more before we expect them to decide for sure whether they'll nest there.
Yes, it won't be long before I get some new direction. Exciting about the owl. Let's hope they move in. Baby owls!
DeleteI look forward to seeing your solution and.resolution. Happy Pi day!
ReplyDeleteWe'll see. It's also possible it was not meant to be. For me, anyway. We'll see.
DeleteYou finally inspired me to look up what spices are in Berbere spice mix. I'm intrigued. The only spice I've never tasted (to my knowledge) is fenugreek. The others I recognize, but I can't quite imagine them all together. I may just have to get brave and mix up some. One of these days. You do wear off on me eventually. :) So sorry about the disappointment over your artwork. You have a great attitude, and I love that you share this part of the process.
ReplyDeleteIt's all part of the life of art. I like to show what goes into those pieces you usually only see completed and exhibited, with no indication of the false starts, scrapped ideas, general struggle, the real life.
DeleteI've abandoned more than one idea that became too difficult or just wasn't working out the way I envisioned. in my collaboration with my husband re Tigger's comment, I am France and he is Germany.
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious about France and Germany! Handsome Partner was not exactly Germany, but possibly Belgium!
DeleteWire coat hangers as the 'base' for the figure?? Old broomsticks?? Doweling from the hardware store?
ReplyDeleteI've considered a lot of options. But they don't get to the art concept I had. I could easily create some sort of stick-supported figure, but it's not going to get to the idea. Not fluid enough for the movement I have in mind. Also too much for my hands nowadays, oh well. But I learned from the attempt.
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